Meet The Team

Brian Huntley grew up outside Nora Springs, IA.  He obtained a degree in Information Technology from NIACC in 2000, and has worked on resolving technology issues in North Iowa since then with a small Information Technology business.  He became a landlord in 2003 and has worked to grow and improve his business in Mason City since then.  Currently, he has 49 properties and does real estate full time.  He also has two amazing sons, volunteers with the Movies in the Park organization, and volunteers as the Scoutmaster for one of the local Boy Scout troops in Mason City.  He has been a member of the North Iowa Landlord Association since 2007 and has been the President since 2017.  There are always new things to learn and being a member of the organization helps stay on top of those things, and it's also great to increase your networking opportunities whenever possible.  The North Iowa Landlord Association is an excellent way to do both of those things, and it's also been invaluable to growing a well-run rental business.

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You can reach him at h@mach3ww.com.

Russell Hardy grew up on a farm between Waterloo and Dubuque.  He graduated from UNI with an Industrial Arts teaching degree.  Upon graduation from college, he accepted an offer to teach Industrial Arts and John Adams Middle School in Mason City.  He started in August of 1972 and bought his first house in October of 1972.  He rented half the house for $60, which was half of the $120 mortgage.  He bought his first rental house in 1973.  In December of 1973 he married his wife, JoAnn, and they have three sons who also own rental properties; he also has ten grandchildren.  After three years of teaching, his job was eliminated due to a decline in student enrollment when the local packing plant closed.  He then became a full-time painting contractor and later owned a towing and crane service for 25 years.  He was chairman of the steering committee and first Board President for North Central Habitat for Humanity.  He now concentrates on real estate moving and rehabbing homes and apartments.  Currently he has 239 residential units and seven commercial properties.  He is a charter member of the North Iowa Landlord Association, an organization he values greatly for its educational and networking opportunities.

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You can reach him at hardyrental@gmail.com

Laureen Jellema grew up in and graduated from Denver, IA.  She graduated from Hawkeye Tech where she received her business degree.  She has been an elder and a deacon at First Presbyterian Church.  She was an accountant for her father's trucking company for many years.  She has worked at Mercy One North Iowa for 39 years.  Married to Bill Jellema for 39 years, she keeps busy doing bookkeeping for his self-employed trucking business, Jellema Enterprises, LLC, as well as Jellema Properties, LLC and Frisian Farms, LLC.  They have two grown children; a 33-year-old son and a 30-year-old daughter.  They got into the rental business in 1998, when they rented out their first home here in Mason City.  Since then they have acquired six rentals, mostly in their neighborhood.  They keep a close eye on them and make sure they're well-maintained.  She joined the North Iowa Landlord Association before becoming a landlord to become more educated in the process.  Better landlording through education is a must.  She has been the Secretary for the North Iowa Landlord Association for many years.

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You can reach her at jellemal@mercyhealth.com.

Bob Barnes grew up in the North Iowa area and purchased his first rental property in 1987.  Bob is employed by the Agnes Corporation who operate several school bus companies, a motorcoach company, drug and alcohol testing company, and other transportation-related businesses in Southern Minnesota and Northern Iowa.  His responsibilities include accounting, IT support, safety and training, among other duties.  He also has owned his own accounting practice and computer repair business in the past.  Bob says that his membership in the North Iowa Landlords Association is a very educational, rewarding, and valuable asset for his rental business.

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You can reach him at bobbarnes001@gmail.com

William (Bill) Jellema graduated from Winston Churchill High School in Potomac, Maryland.  Then his family moved to Iowa.  He graduated from Buena Vista University in Storm Lake, Iowa where he received a degree in business, history, and philosophy.  For several years he sold for 3M and Minolta.  When the state got out of the liquor business, Gallo Wines hired him to sell for them.  After than got mundane, a neighbor convinced him to run to the west coast in a semi.  3,500,000 miles later, after owning his own trucking company, he retired.  In 1998, he and his wife of 39 years, Laureen, decided to get into the rental business and they joined the North Iowa Landlord Association.  They have bought and continue to manage six properties so far.  Since retirement from trucking, he has participated in the group even more.  He owns and manages Jellema Enterprises, LLC, Jellema Properties, LLC, and Frisian Farms, LLC.  He has with his wife two wonderful children, a son and a daughter.  The rental business has been a good addition to their enterprises.  He always enjoys meeting and talking with other landlords.  This is and always will be a changing and developing business.  Continuing education is key.

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You can reach him at jellemawi@mchsi.com

You can reach her at hellerjen@hotmail.com

You can reach him at bob57422@msn.com.

Jean Bergo was born, raised, and continues to live in North Iowa.  She and her husband, Jeff, own and manage rental properties ranging from single family to multi-unit dwellings for over 4o years.  Jean believes in the mission statement "Better Landlording Through Education".  Through membership in the North Iowa Landlord Association, she keeps current with the latest management ideas and shares/networks with other landlords locally and throughout the state.

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You can reach her at jeanb@jumpgate.net.

Jessica Tierney owns commercial and residential real estate in North Iowa, and also owns and operates a machine shop.  She spent about 25 years in the Violence Against Women field, both providing counseling and advocacy services and teaching self-defense classes.  She has been married for almost thirty years and has 23-year-old twin boys.  She is on the board for the League of Women Voters of North Iowa and the Mason City Chamber of Commerce.  In her free time, she enjoys reading, cross-stitching, building dollhouses, writing, doing puzzles, and working out.

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You can reach her at xanddrew@msn.com or 641-425-6294.